We need to put that season in a bit of perspective.
The team lost Huff, Anderson, Webb, Schuler, Traylor, Brekke. That team lost 4 starters, several multi-year, Lots of scoring, rebounding, steals. When you lose all that... and you didn't have a lot coming back (didn't know what we had with Hooker, Tyler was ready to go off a transfer from UMKC, and we got lucky with the NCAA being "nice" and letting Nash have a 6th year* Also, who we brought in didn't make any big impacts. Geno redshirted, Cashman and Shield had small impacts, Coleman barely got on the court and De Rouen was too busy complaining about the gear. Nash did all he could but wasn't a true #1 option and Hooker just wasn't ready yet until later in the year. Tyler was okay but we needed more from him, and we got little if anything out of the post. Although Hobaugh and Antwi were decent options, we just needed more. Plus going back in the thread there was rumblings of the team not quite "meshing" together. Also that team lost a LOT of close games where a play or two could have led to a few more W's.
Now is that on the coach, yes. But I get why he did it and I bet if Jones had to do it over again he just brings more freshman or perhaps let Geno play day 1. The mass defections the year later helped to clear the deck and bring in better "fits" in the program, which the team is now reaping the benefits of. Jones should get a bit of credit for that realizing that it wasn't working out the way the team was build and a change was needed.
*Of course he never should have sat out in 2012-2013... thanks NCAA